“In this content culture, if you don’t have something to say, you quickly become irrelevant. And what you say can’t just be broadcasting messages out to people, it has to be dialogue in response to what other people are saying – otherwise you are just talking to yourself and, usually, being ignored. Everyone is now a publisher but, as social media evolves, quality is prevailing over quantity. So you need to use your power to publish to your benefit and to the benefit of those around you, not just be a busy fool!”

Advice is interspersed with case studies of prominent Yorkshire figures who exemplify these principles (the authors run a consultancy business in Yorkshire). On the day that the scenic Yorkshire route of the first two days of the 2014 Tour de France was announced, one of their exemplars is Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire who campaigned to bring the cycle race to the region.

“So how does Gary get it so right when it comes to personal branding? Firstly, he has a story to tell and he tells it well. The big brand building expert who chose to leave the corporate world he was so used to, to take on the huge role of heading up the country’s biggest tourist board. To say he was out of his comfort zone is an understatement. Yet he describes the move as a no-brainer and instead of using the recession as a excuse for not achieving the ambitious targets set, he has embraced the opportunities it brings for the region to set itself apart and offer visitors a top-notch experience without the top-end prices.

Gary Verity is a senior executive, but what of the younger ‘millennials’ now entering the workforce? Aren’t their online habits a threat to company security? Helen Standing (28) and Jo Parker (32) have no sympathy with this view:

“The fuddy duddies who vilify young people for sharing every intimate detail of their lives on Facebook are slowly starting to step aside and realise that this is the future. Rather than just being regarded as self-centred, employers are starting to realise that the next generation of leaders are sociable, flexible, entrepreneurial, collaborative, campaigning and not too bothered about status and benefits packages. They have a lot to offer but they need varied, fun, roles that are tailored to their personal needs with lots of social interactions.”